Backbeats

A History of Rock and Roll in Fifteen Drummers

By: John Lingan, John Lingan - introduction

Narrated by: Eric Yang

A Rolling Stone Best Music Book of 2025, this is an electrifying, “superb” (Atlantic), and “entirely fresh” (Rolling Stone) journey through the history of rock and roll, told through the lives of fifteen iconic drummers and their percussion rivals—from John Bonham and Charlie Watts to Ringo Starr and Questlove.

Rock and roll thrives on rhythm, but the drummers who drive that pulse often stay in the shadows. In Backbeats, acclaimed music historian John Lingan brings these unsung heroes into the spotlight, delivering a fascinating journey through six decades of rock history.

Lingan’s deep research and vivid storytelling explores the lives of fifteen pathbreaking drummers and their fellow timekeepers—men and women who together laid down the beat of an era. From Bernard Purdie’s legendary work with Aretha Franklin to Dave Grohl’s funk- and punk-indebted swing for Nirvana, these drummers redefined what was possible in pop music. Iconic figures like Ringo Starr, whose inventive style transformed the Beatles, and Charlie Watts, the steady backbone of the Rolling Stones, take center stage. But Lingan doesn’t stop there—he also shines a light on groundbreaking, underappreciated talents like Maureen Tucker of The Velvet Underground, whose minimalist beats rewrote the rule book, and Sam Lay, a pivotal figure in rock’s evolution from the blues.

Packed with insider stories and exclusive interviews—from Robert Plant’s reflections on Led Zeppelin’s legendary sessions to superstar recording engineer Steve Albini’s behind-the-scenes accounts—Backbeats offers an eye-opening glimpse into some of rock’s most unforgettable moments, including the seismic shift of Bob Dylan going electric at Newport, James Brown’s explosive creation of funk in the late sixties, and the birth of LA thrash metal in the early eighties.

More than just a tribute to an unrecognized group of virtuosos, this book is a love letter to the art of drumming itself. Both “broadly accessible” and “enlightening” (Rolling Stone) to musicians and non-musicians alike, Backbeats shows how these remarkable artists not only kept the beat but drove rock and roll forward. It’s a must-read for any music lover, offering a fresh and thrilling perspective on a story we only thought we knew.

Critic reviews

"Eric Yang takes a straightforward and unembellished approach with his narration of this celebration of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential drummers. Many of the musicians profiled are household names—Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, Dave Grohl, for example—but the best sections feature underappreciated geniuses like The Velvet Underground’s Maureen Tucker, who shunned cymbals and played an upturned bass drum with her hands. Author Lingan is clearly a drum nerd, and his research is deep, but he avoids jargon and writes with a clear style that will appeal to any music lover."

Poor Reader

Pronunciation errors by the reader throw of immersion in the narrative which is otherwise engrossing. Could have used someone older who has more books under the belt and a better ear.